Americans have a penchant for the future and tend to disregard the past.

I mentioned that one of the tripartite formulas in American worldview involves time: past, present, and future.

Americans often have trouble enjoying the present moment.

Americans do believe in progress and there is almost certainly a kernel of truth in the joke.

Future orientation is combined with a notion and expectation of progress, and nothing is impossible.

Polls are frequently taken to try to tease out or determine likely directions and trends, but once taken, they belong to the past, requiring that new polls be taken.